Arizona reported 1,621 additional COVID-19 cases and 83 deaths on Friday as the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations continued to drop.

As the COVID-19 patient load is beginning to slow down, Dignity Health-Yavapai Regional Medical Center on Thursday announced it is beginning to lifts its ban on non-emergency, elective surgery and visitation at both its Prescott and Prescott Valley campuses.

Following January, the deadliest month of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., February has been showing signs of progress as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are plummeting. At the same time, vaccinations are picking up speed.

Most people who have COVID-19 recover completely within a few weeks. But for some patients, the symptoms can persist for months and damage their lungs, heart, and brain, which increases the risk of long-term health problems.

Yavapai County Community Health Services Leslie Horton is used to COVID-19 surprises – just not many good ones.

A pandemic obstacle for many Arizona seniors was removed this week when state officials announced AHCCCS will reimburse them for transportation to and from their COVID-19 vaccination appointments.

Spectrum Healthcare’s COVID-19 vaccine points of dispensing (PODs) at Findlay Toyota Events Center in Prescott Valley and Verde Valley Christian Church in Cottonwood will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 23, and the YRMC POD at the old Sears at Gateway Mall plans to reopen on Wednesday.

Spectrum Healthcare has announced that the Vaccination Stations in Prescott Valley and Cottonwood will reopen Tuesday, Feb. 23, to administer the Moderna vaccine in Yavapai County,

Arizona health officials on Sunday reported 1,804 new COVID-19 cases and 25 additional deaths.

The three points of dispensing (PODs) for COVID-19 vaccines in Yavapai County are looking to reopen next week.

Yavapai County Community Health Services reported 51 new cases of COVID-19 overnight and no new deaths, according to a news release Friday morning.

As of Thursday morning, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) said Moderna vaccines have not been shipped and only a limited number of Pfizer vaccines were shipped. The agency reports that both suppliers are experiencing a backlog of orders due to severe weather in the eastern states.

Anyone who has a local appointment scheduled for the next few days at YRMC’s Prescott Gateway Mall vaccination site or Spectrum Healthcare's Vaccination Station in Prescott Valley should watch for a new appointment date.

So far, the United States has had about 28 million confirmed COVID-19 cases. Since a large number of infected people never show symptoms, the CDC estimates that 83 million people in the U.S. were actually infected last year – about a quarter of the population.

Arizona on Saturday, Feb. 13, reported nearly 1,800 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 100 more deaths, as the number of patients hospitalized due to the coronavirus outbreak continued to decrease during the slowing of the fall and winter surge.

Yavapai County Community Health Services reported 45 new cases of COVID-19 and two additional deaths overnight, according to a news release Friday afternoon.

Arizona reported 200 additional coronavirus deaths on Thursday as the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients fell below half of the pandemic high from a month ago during the height of the fall and winter surge.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday that people who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are no longer required to quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19 if exposure occurs at least two weeks after the second dose, Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS) shared in a news release Thursday, Feb. 11. However, the CDC says this protection may wear off after just three months, so people who had their last shot three months ago or more should still quarantine if they are exposed.

Spectrum Healthcare, which is operating the mass vaccination points of dispensing (POD) in Prescott Valley and Cottonwood, has announced the following changes to hours of operations...

Gov. Doug Ducey is applauding the hard work of Arizona’s medical professionals, volunteers and frontline workers as the state reaches one million vaccine doses administered on Wednesday, Feb. 10, according to a news release.

Appointments for the points of dispensing (POD) the COVID-19 vaccines in Prescott Valley, Prescott and the Verde Valley are filled for this week, according to the Yavapai County Community Health Services.

Residents age 65 and older can place their name on an online waiting list to receive an appointment to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

There seems to be a divide between the “haves” and “have nots” emerging as older adults struggle to get COVID-19 vaccines.

Health officials in Arizona on Sunday reported 1,544 new COVID-19 cases and 37 more deaths as they braced for a possible surge in cases from Super Bowl gatherings.

Arizona's death toll from the pandemic passed 14,000 on Saturday, Feb. 6, as health officials urged football fans to forego Super Bowl gatherings outside members of their own households to help combat spread of the coronavirus.

Health officials at Yavapai County Community Health Services said they are encouraged to receive 9,400 doses of COVID-19 vaccine for next week.

Yavapai County Community Health Services reported 43 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths overnight, according to a news release Thursday afternoon.

Because of a shortage of Moderna vaccine doses, no vaccination appointments are currently available at local, large Points of Distribution or POD sites.

Yavapai County Community Health Services reported 29 new cases of COVID-19 with 10 additional deaths overnight, according to a news release Tuesday morning.

Yavapai County Community Health Services reported 230 additional cases of COVID-19 and five deaths over the weekend, according to a news release Monday morning.